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Febreeze works great for me. Can't tell you how many funky6 smells have been banished by the stuff.

Baking soda and fresh air always works for me.

I would also use the charcoal odor eaters and a plastic bag. If there are a lot maybe you can divide them into two bags with charcoal. I would not wash them, but once you have assembled your quilt and it is competed, the gentle wash cycle and vinegar in the rinse cycle is sound advice. Good luck and please post as you go along. We'd love to see your work.

My 88 yr. old aunt just sent me some hand embroidered pillow cases & crocheted doilies that her mom/my grandmother made. I stacked the doilies with a few fabric softener sheets between some layers. I seems to be working as the pile is sitting on my kitchen table & I don't get the smell that I had when 1st opening the box.

Put them in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag then put in a container with fresh coffee grounds. Will take the unpleasent smells away

I bought some fabric at an estate sale that was musky smelling. Lady at quilting shop, said to wash on delc. cycle with cup of vinger and small amount of fabric softener, no soap. The fabric smell like new.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WMUTeach

I recently found 90 plus finished blocks in a covered plastic bin and the fabric to complete the remaining 40 blocks too. I was just thrilled when I found this treasure because the hand drawn plans were also in the bin. Now the challenge is, how do I get that old musty, mildew odor out of the fabric so I can work on them? The blocks are muslin and reproduction prints that are all light pastels. There are no signs of mildew, just that "old nasty" smell.

These blocks have very special meaning to me and my family so I would like to treat them with honor and respect but, whoo-hoo, they smell too musty to work with. Does any one have any suggestions? I sure would appreciate your help. I thank you in advance.

I once had to deal with a similar problem, and I spread them out on my patio table and left them for a few days and the smell was gone. The weather was warm and it is a covered patio, so the blocks were not in the sun, and I brought them in every night, and put them out each day. If I were you, I would not wash those blocks, but once the quilt is finished, if you think it needs laundering, then give it a gentle wash.

Quote:

Originally Posted by incoming2me

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prism99

My featherweight machine's case had a terrible musty smell in it. Tried a dryer sheet, tried soap -- everything seemed to just add a different odor. Fresh air and sunshine did not help enough either. The charcoal OdorEaters insoles finally did the job.

Ahhhhh! Thank you!
Like you, I've tried seemingly everything to rid my FW case's funky smell..
I will definitely try this!

I scrubbed the FW case with some ODOBAN from Sam's club because it had mold in it, then filled it with clay, not clumping cat litter for a few days, changed that out a couple times. No I can stand to use that case. Another one is going through the same treatment now but the charcoal shoe thingies sounds a bit easier.

Put them in an airtight container, crumble p a few sheets of newspaper, no color, just black and white printed. The ink will absorb the smell. Works good for burnt Popcorn smell in the microwave too....leave in there fo a few days.

Try putting an OPEN container of baking soda in with the pieces for 24 hours. Let us know how it goes.

Also, (this is a little more difficult) I was told to put a piece of newspaper in a refrigerator with a tube of toothpaste spread on the paper (cheapest you can find) that has been turned off and the door closed to get the bad odor out. This works like a charm. The toothpast absorbs the odor.